D2.61 - Allergic Contact Dermatitis Due to Disperse Textile Dyes: A 10-Year Review

Textile-related contact dermatitis most commonly presents as eczema. The etiological diagnosis of eczema relies on patch testing using allergens from the European Standard Battery (ESB) as well as allergens from the textile battery.Textile-related contact dermatitis most commonly presents as eczema. The etiological diagnosis of eczema relies on patch testing using allergens from the European Standard Battery (ESB) as well as allergens from the textile battery. The objectifs: To determine the prevalence of allergic contact dermatitis caused by textile dyes and to describe the characteristics of affected patients.

This was a retrospective study including all patients diagnosed with allergic contact dermatitis due to textile dyes, confirmed by patch testing with textile battery allergens. Patients were identified from the dermato-allergology unit of the Department of Occupational Medicine and Occupational Diseases at Farhat Hached University Hospital in Sousse, Tunisia, over a 10-year period.

Among the 44 patients who underwent patch testing with textile battery allergens, 14 cases showed positive results (31.8%). Patient age ranged from 22 to 69 years, with a female predominance of 50%. Nearly all patients (92.8%) were professionally active, mainly in the textile sector (57.1%). Skin lesions were predominantly erythematous (33.5%) and were mainly located on the hands (53.2%). ESB patch tests were positive in 78.5% of cases. The most frequently identified allergens were textile dye mixes (64.2%). Among individual textile dyes, the most common allergens were Disperse Red 17, Disperse Blue 106, and Disperse Orange 3. Three patients showed negative results to ESB allergens but positive reactions to textile dyes. Most patch test reactions were considered clinically relevant (92.8%).

Textile dyes represent a significant cause of allergic contact dermatitis; however, they remain underdiagnosed. Patch testing with textile battery allergens is therefore essential for accurate diagnosis and improved patient management.